GM’s now-infamous advertisement touting the payback of government loans “may have elasticized the reality of things,” in the words of Steve Rattner, but stretching the truth apparently pays off. Automotive News [sub] reports that a London public perception-tracking firm surveyed some 5,000 consumers, and found that The General’s image has improved since the ad started running. Of course, on YouGov’s brand image scale of 100 to negative 100, GM is up only five points to “17.” Clearly there’s still work to do.

For comparison, Toyota was at 45 on the scale before the recall scandal hit earlier this year, dropping the Japanese brand’s perception score to negative one. And, says YouGov’s managing director, when it comes to GM’s progress on the strength of its recent ad,

we don’t know if it will last one week or one month

Either way, any uptick is a good sign for a state-owned firm that’s being accused of misleading consumers over its obligations to the government. Especially considering that JD Power’s research shows the ad in question simply polarizes consumers. Ultimately, as JDP’s Alexander Edwards puts it,

Those of us who follow the industry know how the bailout was structured and we know the total amount of money that has been sunk into GM. We immediately recognized that Ed was was pulling a fast one when he implied that the government has recouped all of the money that GM received.

Those who do not follow the industry only heard that GM went bankrupt and was saved by the government. I suspect most people have no idea how the bailout was structured or how much GM was given. So, when Ed says GM has repaid its loans ahead of schedule these folks who were not paying attention are none the wiser.

You must’ve never seen Glenn Beck, MikeAR. (Hilarious Daily Show last night with a bit on how quickly Beck brings up Nazi comparissons on damn near everything).

I do agree we have a bit of an “Idiocracy” building up here though. The way to control it without actively controling people’s breeding, however, is getting rid of every handout and safety net out there and let natural selection do the rest; just let the dumb-asses sink themselves. It wouldn’t be pretty though.

There isn’t concrete evidence that correlates intelligence and genetics. It’s mainly the enviroment in which one is raised. Thus limiting people’s ability to breed baised on parental intelligence would not necessarily result in a population with greater intelligence overall.

@ carve
“I do agree we have a bit of an “Idiocracy” building up here though. The way to control it without actively controlling people’s breeding, however, is getting rid of every handout and safety net out there and let natural selection do the rest; just let the dumb-asses sink themselves. It wouldn’t be pretty though.”

Wow, is this you idea of satire, because if it is, I missed it. Perhaps you are correct though. I worked for a cab company because I enjoyed the work. The owner got fairly wealthy off the sweat of our labors. During that 34 years, I was able to care for my father after his disabling stroke back in 1881, until he passed in 1996. Although the job did not give me neither benefits nor high pay, it gave me flexibility to care for family members.

Once the owner closed the doors, because she had “killed the golden goose”, I was forced to take unemployment. Thank God she didn’t offer Health Insurance, since I wouldn’t be able to pay for the COBRA coverage. I’m still on unemployment, all the while I continue my job search. It’s been bad enough were I actually had to apply for food stamps, which is the first time in my 54 years. I’m not proud of either point, but as you so eloquently point out, ” just let the dumb-asses sink themselves”. I guess I was the dumb-ass for enjoying literature and not seeking a high paying all inclusive job, which would have probably cost my dad plenty of years of his life.

Take solace that I never had children, but I did my share of breeding though. Fertility was always thwarted due to the wonderful invention of the pill. I do agree with you sentiments about it not being pretty, seeing as how I’ve been diagnosed with Colo-Rectal Cancer and given an expiration date. So I am now at the point of you glorious “natural selection”.

I generally come to TTAC for the writing and information that they provide, but unfortunately, the political BS becomes too much. I can generally page through them rather quickly most of the time, to share the intellectual points that are often times offered, but there was just something about your post!

I felt that this post was about the gullibility of the public buying,hook line and sinker, the GM ad as it was offer to the uninformed American Public, but I guess I was wrong. It’s always about some political view. Sorry for the rant, but you’ve only got to put up with them for 9-12 months.

What the hell are you talking about? Rob & Poindexter suggested the government give people premission to breed. That violates human rights, and is unacceptable. Not helping people who can’t take care of themselves, while not pretty, doesn’t violate anybodies fundamental rights.

Have you really been on unemployment since 96!? Or, did you continue to work there after your dad died? Do you really think it was wrong the owner of your company came out ahead when she hired you to do a job you voluntarily did?

“I guess I was the dumb-ass for enjoying literature and not seeking a high paying all inclusive job”

So, you expect the taxpayer, people like me, to pay for your literature enjoyment time? Yes- that’s dumb and terribly selfish. However meager it might be, people WORKED for any money you’re receiving. You are taking that part of their lives. Everyone has family members who’ll need help at some point. You are not special here. People like me are working to support you. I have interests too, you know. But if you’re trying to thank me for all the free money, you’re welcome I guess, not that I had any say in it.

I’m glad we have safety nets, but when people live on ’em and treat them like entitlements, it’s a big problem.

FWIW, I was unemployed from Oct 07 to Nov 08. However, I didn’t want to be a burden to anybody, and supported myself and my wife with my own savings in that time. You need to be responsible for your own life.

GM, particularly in North America, is clueless and for all purposes, leaderless. they predict profit and anticipate executive compensation. but these are the same people who screwed retirees at Delphi out of their pensions, have continued the same stupid ass marketing while so freakin worried about hurting some broad’s feelings who never should have been there to begin with. GM is a joke, not to be believed, nor trusted. do yourself a favor, get a Ford.

indict Red Ink Rick Wagoner for his crimes involving FIAT and the investment banksters, then fire the bunch of them downtown and maybe, just maybe, this company will have a chance. otherwise, toast.

So many People just want to believe that GM is a true spirit, and when the CEO speaks, it’s gotta be the Truth! It must be the style of the CEO that has convinced the Public, so heart warming, so happiness eh?

Most of those who can understand balance sheets and the warranty implications of buying from firms that are financially troubled have long since moved to import brands. Fixing GM in that regard will take years.

Whitacre is preaching to the uninformed, which makes sense as that is who purchases GM products anyway.

That said, the fact that it’s working doesn’t change the fact that what was done is sleazy. That the CEO would 1) even consider, 2) then approve and 3) personally execute such a sleazy act tells us everything we need to know about GM.

It never ceases to amaze me how people who think they are smart can’t seem to see the forest for the trees.

Like it or not, those of us who are US or Canadian citizens (through our respective governments) are the majority shareholders in GM. The ONLY way were are going to get any of that money back is if GM succeeds. Is this ad misleading? Yes, because most people have no idea about who owns GM. But if we don’t get those same people back into GM dealerships buying cars (and, face it, many of them are potential customers who resent the bailout), we’re all screwed.

>>>Like it or not, those of us who are US or Canadian citizens (through our respective governments) are the majority shareholders in GM. The ONLY way were are going to get any of that money back is if GM succeeds. Is this ad misleading? Yes, because most people have no idea about who owns GM. But if we don’t get those same people back into GM dealerships buying cars (and, face it, many of them are potential customers who resent the bailout), we’re all screwed.

We won’t get our money back, any more than the the British taxpayers saw a return on their “investment” in British Leyland. The best outcome now is for these entities to go away so that we can cut our losses, for now, as long as they continue to exist, the UAW (via GM / Ford / Chrysler) will keep coming back to the taxpayer trough, claiming that they need more lest the taxpayers’ previous “investment” be lost. As I just posted on another thread re: the UAW at Ford:

After the taxpayers bailed out the UAW, with extra-legal coercion from Comrade Obama … (see here):

We get the UAW back to business as usual, so once again they can sink the automakers, confident that the taxpayers will end up footing the bill for their rapacious ways. NOBODY is talking about the UAW paying us back.

The PATRIOTIC thing to do is to purchase vehicles assembled in America by non-UAW labor, and drive the UAW to extinction (which it deserves). For as long as the UAW exists it’ll continue to be a parasite feeding off of us taxpayers.